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Tom Brady is starting to realize just how grown-up his kids are.

Speaking on the latest episode of his Let's Go! weekly podcast Monday, the NFL quarterback revealed that his 15-year-old son John "Jack" Edward — who is already 6'1" — has started to borrow his clothes.

"He's starting to wear my shoes. He went into my closet the other night because he was going out with his cousins and he was like, 'Dad, can I see what's in your closet to wear?'" the proud father of three shared.

"And I was like, oh, s--t, he's going to start wearing my clothes," he continued. "And I did that with my dad, too, so maybe that's a little bit of a young man's rite of passage, going to dad's closet and start using his stuff."

Elsewhere in the podcast, the NFL veteran, 45, joked with co-host Jim Gray about one day playing the game with his grandchildren.

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When Gray suggested that Brady will "be able to sit back and tell your grandchildren of this epic career that you've had," the quarterback laughed in response.

"One day. One day when I do have grandkids. Hopefully, that's a long time from now, but, yeah, maybe I'll just actually, maybe I'll face one of 'em at some point in the playoffs," Brady said. "That's possible, too."

Gray then referenced LeBron James' intent to play a season in the NBA with his oldest son, 18-year-old Bronny, telling Brady, "You're now setting it out there a little bit further, huh?"

Brady replied, "We'll see. As my friend says, the future happens a day at a time. So that's where I'm at right now."

In addition to Jack, whom Brady shares with ex Bridget Moynahan, he is also dad to 10-year-old daughter Vivian Lake and 13-year-old son Benjamin Rein, whom he shares with ex Gisele Bündchen.

In November, Brady shared a photo of Jack as he was preparing to throw a football. The blurry background showed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers star standing off to the side behind him watching, with others on the field during what looked like a practice.

"My Inspiration ??," the father of three, who has previously talked about his son Jack's love of football, captioned the photo.

In his Instagram Stories, Brady shared another photo of Jack in a huddle with his teammates, proudly calling him, "Just one of the boys." In another snap, he told Jack to "Fire that pigskin!!!" as the teen prepared to throw a football.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Despite the NFC South title already being in hand and the outcome of next week's game against the Atlanta Falcons having no impact on playoff positioning, Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said Monday that the plan is to play their starters -- including 45-year-old quarterback Tom Brady -- in Week 18.

"We can get better at a lot of things, so right now, we plan on playing him," said Bowles, whose team is, at 8-8, locked into the No. 4 seed. "We'll see how the week goes going forward, but we can get better at a lot of things that we need to work on, and we don't need our foot off the gas."

After struggling to protect Brady, push the ball downfield and put points on the board all season, the Bucs' offense put together arguably one of its best performances of the season Sunday, defeating the Carolina Panthers 30-24 with Brady accounting for four touchdowns -- three passing and one on a quarterback sneak. All three touchdowns through the air were caught by Mike Evans, the franchise record holder in just about every receiving category, who hadn't caught a touchdown since Week 4.

The offensive line has been on shaky footing since training camp, when it lost Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen and Aaron Stinnie, who was competing for the starting left guard spot, to knee injuries. All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs just returned from a high ankle sprain and reaggravated it last week against the Arizona Cardinals, while left tackle Donovan Smith missed two games at the beginning of the season with a hyperextended elbow and last week's game with a foot injury. Backup swing tackle Josh Wells also just went to injured reserve with a knee injury.

"We don't have many [offensive linemen] to begin with," Bowles said. "It's not like training camp where you have 80 guys, 90 guys. We're limited to begin with, but some guys need some work on things, and as the week goes forward, we'll progress and make those decisions. But right now, everybody needs to plan on playing."

Starting a 45-year-old quarterback in a Week 18 game that has no impact on playoff position is risky. Last year, Brady started in Week 18 to ensure the Bucs could secure the No. 2 playoff seed.

Brady has never missed games when healthy. He missed the 2008 season after tearing his left ACL, and he missed the first four games of 2016 due to a suspension. He said Sunday that the decision would be up to Bowles but acknowledged he would be disappointed if he didn't play.

Playing Brady and the rest of the starters could ensure the Bucs finish the season with a winning record, and it could help them keep momentum, something they experienced when they won eight straight and captured a Super Bowl in 2020.

But injuries have heavily impacted the team more so over the past two seasons in Brady's quest for an eighth Super Bowl ring. Their receiver situation became so dire in last year's NFC divisional round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams that tight end Cameron Brate had to line up in the slot. Every member of their secondary has missed games this season. They have only two healthy outside linebackers in Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Anthony Nelson. And last week, Brady's blind side was protected by third-string tackle Brandon Walton.

"It's football. You can't play 16 games and then worry about the 17th," Bowles said. "You can't play three preseason games and 16 games and practice every day and say, 'You may get hurt on the 17th game.' You can get hurt the first week. You can get hurt in training camp. If you worry about that, you're probably gonna get hurt anyway.

"We signed up to play football and coach football. That's what we're gonna do. And everybody that loves football, that loves to play, will play the game. Injuries are gonna happen. It doesn't mean it happens in Week 17, a playoff game or preseason. You just gotta coach it and you gotta play it. You worry about injuries, you probably don't need to be playing a sport."

When asked whether he'd consider pulling players in the second half, Bowles said that it's possible and that the coaching staff would meet to discuss it. The Bucs did that in 2020 in a Week 16 blowout win over the Detroit Lions, and Brady started the next week, in the final game of the season at the Falcons, and finished that game.

At some point this week, NFL business will resume, albeit with somber overtones and the pall of what can occur in this fierce, furious sport hanging over every workplace.

But the games will, in fact, go on. And in the wake of what transpired Monday night in Cincinnati, a season that has remained unsteady — and at times, unsightly — in Tampa Bay may not seem so underwhelming. In fact, the Bucs find themselves a week away from being undefeated again.

When the playoffs commence, they’re 0-0, same as every other postseason qualifier.

“It’s a new slate,” coach Todd Bowles said following Sunday’s division title-clinching victory against the Panthers. “Playoffs start a clean slate for everybody. You’ve got a three-game elimination tournament and it doesn’t matter where you are.”

Assured of the NFC’s No. 4 seed (as the division champ with the worst record) and a home playoff game in two weekends, the Bucs (8-8) will host the Cowboys (12-4) or Eagles (13-3) — whichever does not win the NFC East. We’ve broken down both potential matchups, and why each may — or may not — favor the Bucs.

Why the Bucs should want the Cowboys

For one, they have had Dallas’ number lately. Tampa Bay has won the last two meetings, including that 19-3 humiliation on opening night at AT&T Stadium, when Dak Prescott was knocked from the game (fractured finger) and the Cowboys managed only 244 total yards.

But weighing far heavier on the Cowboys’ collective psyche will be their historic playoff futility. Dallas has one postseason victory in this millennium, a burden of which the players will be reminded frequently in the preceding days.

And while the Bucs — as the locked-in No. 4 seed — have the luxury of resting their front-line players Sunday in Atlanta, the Cowboys must win against the Commanders — and hope for an Eagles loss to the Giants — to capture the NFC East.

Also worth considering: While the Cowboys have won their last two, less than three weeks have elapsed since their 40-34 overtime loss to the Jaguars ... in Florida ... on natural grass. Prescott threw two picks in that game and was sacked three times by one of the worst pass-rush units (31 sacks) in the NFL.

Why the Bucs should be leery of the Cowboys

Dallas has won eight of its last 10, with both losses — including the Jaguars defeat — coming in overtime. It has a plus-9 turnover margin in that 10-game stretch and has averaged 152.1 rushing yards.

Moreover, the Cowboys’ daunting pass rush could create nightmares for Tom Brady, stifling any chance of letting those trademark go routes to Mike Evans develop. Dallas’ 51 sacks rank third in the NFL, and it is allowing 6.8 yards per pass attempt, which ranks ninth.

That equates to a lot of Brady check-down throws to Leonard Fournette and Rachaad White. If that occurs, it’s hard to envision Tampa Bay scoring enough to keep up with the Cowboys, who rank second in the league with 28.8 points per game.

Why the Bucs should want the Eagles

Mainly because quarterback Jalen Hurts is banged up. The NFL MVP candidate has been sidelined the last two games with a sprained SC joint in his throwing shoulder, and the Eagles have lost both.

While Hurts is expected back for the playoffs’ opening round, his sharpness and velocity will be rightfully scrutinized. Meantime, the status of edge-rush extraordinaire Josh Sweat is less certain.

Sweat (11 sacks), a cornerstone of the NFL’s best defense (302.6 yards per game), was carted off the field with a neck injury and transported to a hospital after a first-quarter collision with Saints fullback Adam Prentice in New Orleans’ 20-10 triumph Sunday.

Even if Hurts and Sweat both are cleared for the postseason, a playoff game in Tampa wouldn’t foster the fondest of memories. The Bucs humiliated the Eagles, 31-15 in the opening round last season, sacking Hurts twice and intercepting him twice.

Why the Bucs should be leery of the Eagles

When healthy, they’re arguably the best team in football.

Like Dallas, the Eagles defense is equipped to make Brady look every bit his age. It currently ranks first in the league in sacks (68), and is surrendering the fewest passing yards (181.3) and total yards (302.6) in the NFL.

And with Hurts, the Eagles are 13-1. His 747 rushing yards are only 17 fewer than Lamar Jackson, and his passer rating (104.6) ranks third in the league. Hurts has thrown only five picks all year, and he is averaging 8.2 yards per pass attempt, second in the NFL only to Tua Tagovailoa (8.9).

Unlike Brady, he is complemented by a 1,000-yard rusher. Miles Sanders (1,236 yards), also headed to the Pro Bowl, averages 5.0 yards per carry.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have nothing to gain on Sunday afternoon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

But Tom Brady and the rest of their starters aren’t going to take the week off. Brady hasn't done that in the first 22 years of his career, and he's not going to start now.

“It’s always up to coach, but yeah, that would bother me,” Brady said Sunday of sitting out, via USA Today.

“I haven’t missed a game other than my ACL (injury), and then in 2016, I missed the first four games. Other than that, I’ve played them all.”

Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles confirmed that Brady, along with the rest of the team’s starters, would take the field against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday despite having already won the NFC South and being locked into the No. 4 seed in the NFC.

A win wouldn’t move them up at all, and as a division winner they can’t move down if they lose.

While a week off could make a big impact headed into the postseason, especially considering Brady is 45 years old, Bowles isn’t planning on sitting him or anyone else.

"We can get better at a lot of things, so right now, we plan on playing him," Bowles said Monday, via ESPN. "We'll see how the week goes going forward, but we can get better at a lot of things that we need to work on, and we don't need our foot off the gas."

Like Brady said, he’s missed just a handful of games throughout his career. Outside of nearly the entire 2008 season, which he missed while recovering from an ACL injury, and his “deflategate” suspension in 2016, he’s always been out on the field.

Brady threw for a season-high 432 yards and four total touchdowns in the Buccaneers’ comeback win over the Panthers last week. Tampa Bay will enter Sunday’s game in Atlanta with an 8-8 record. If the season ended now, the Buccaneers would host the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the playoffs.

Though he said he may pull starters in the second half, Bowles isn’t going to hold back knowing the playoffs are right around the corner — even if that risks more injury.

"It's football. You can't play 16 games and then worry about the 17th," Bowles said, . "You can't play three preseason games and 16 games and practice every day and say, 'You may get hurt on the 17th game.' You can get hurt the first week. You can get hurt in training camp. If you worry about that, you're probably gonna get hurt anyway.

Model Veronika Rajek was loving every moment of the Buccaneers’ victory on Sunday.

As Tom Brady led Tampa Bay to a comeback win over the Carolina Panthers, clinching the NFC South in the process, Rajek took to Instagram to celebrate.

“So beautiful,” Rajek remarked in the fourth quarter as Tampa Bay took a 22-21 lead. She then celebrated the new year after seeing the final score of 30-24.

“So now Happy New Year,” the model added in a separate Instagram Story.

Rajek, who is reportedly married to Olympic bobsledder Viktor Rajek, has shown her support for Brady, 45, and the Buccaneers this season. Last month, she gushed over the seven-time Super Bowl champ after he orchestrated a wild win over the Saints.

“I saw the LEGEND and if somebody asks me again if I love Brady, yes I love him, and show me somebody who doesn’t,” Rajek posted on Instagram in December 2022.

“Even his haters love him because they know he is the [goat] @tombrady thank you for an amazing show.”

In Sunday’s win over the Panthers, Brady threw for 432 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. The Buccaneers also improved to 8-8 on the season.

“We’ve battled through a lot of tough things this year,” Brady said. “Happy to win the division. It’s always tough to do it. NFL games are tough to win and we always figure out a way to keep them somehow exciting. I wish they wouldn’t be as exciting as we made them.”

It’s been a challenging year for Brady both on and off the field. In October 2022, the quarterback announced that he and wife Gisele Bündchen were divorcing after 13 years of marriage.

The former couple has two children together, son Benjamin, 13, and daughter Vivian, 10. Brady is also a dad to 15-year-old son Jack, whom he shares with ex Bridget Moynahan.